Making a complaint

There are different types of complaints that can be made about councils, councillors and council employees. Complaints are made to different organisations, including the particular council involved in the complaint, depending on the issue about which the complaint is being made. The following list provides details of various complaints that can be made and the links to how and where your complaint should be directed.

Complaints about a council, councillor, General Manager or council employee for non-compliance or offences under the Local Government Act 1993 and related legislation

Any person may contact the Local Government Division to seek information about making a complaint where it is genuinely believed that a councillor, general manager or council employee may have committed an offence under the Local Government Act 1993 or related legislation, or failed to comply with the requirements of the Act or related legislation. A complaint can also be made if it is believed that a council may have failed to comply with legislative requirements.

The Director of Local Government will assess your complaint and undertake an investigation, if appropriate.

You may initiate contact with the division regarding your complaint by telephone on 03 6232 7022 or by email at lgd@dpac.tas.gov.au.

The division can assist you, if necessary, to lodge a formal complaint with the Director of Local Government under the Local Government Act.

Complaints about council policies, procedures, purchasing and tender processes, services or fees

The resolution of complaints against councils is the responsibility of the respective council. The Local Government Act includes accountability measures under which councils can be held responsible to their communities for their actions and decisions.

Customer service charters

Councils must all have customer service charters. These charters explain how councils will deal with a complaint. Charters typically provide:

council policy on handling of complaints

the timeframe within which a response to a complaint will be given

details of how a decision on a complaint can be reviewed.

For more information, you can obtain a copy of your council's customer service charter from the council's website or directly from the council.

Codes for tenders and contracts

Under theLocal Government Act 1993 all councils are required to have a code for tenders and contracts, providing a framework for best practice tendering and procurement methods and incorporating the following purchasing principles:

open and effective competition

value for money

enhancement of the capabilities of local business and industry

ethical behaviour and fair dealing.

The code for tenders and contracts is required to include a complaint resolution process. You can obtain a copy of your council's code from the council's website or directly from the council.

Each council has a Code of Conduct which sets out the standard of behaviour that councillors are required to meet when carrying out their roles and functions. The standards of behaviour that are included in each council’s Code of Conduct are:

Decision making

Conflict of interest

Use of office

Use of resources

Use of information

Gifts and benefits

Relationships with the community, councillors and council employees

Representation

A person may make a code of conduct complaint against one councillor in relation to the contravention by the councillor of the relevant council’s code of conduct.

A person may make a complaint against more than one councillor if the complaint relates to the same behaviour and the same code of conduct contravention.

Code of conduct complaints are lodged with the general manager of the relevant council and must

be in writing;

state the name and address of the person making the complaint (complainant);

state the name of each councillor against whom the complaint is made;

state the provisions of the relevant code of conduct that the councillor has allegedly contravened;

contain details of the behaviour of each councillor that constitutes the alleged contravention;

be lodged with the general manager within six months after the councillor or councillors against whom the complaint is made allegedly committed the contravention of the code of conduct; and